Top 10 Physically Disabled Film Characters

5. Lt. Dan €“ Forrest Gump (1994)

The audience (and Forrest) is introduced to Lieutenant Dan Taylor (Gary Sinise) about half way through Robert Zemeckis' epic Forrest Gump. Lt. Dan is originally Gump's stern commanding officer in Vietnam and believes he's fated to die on the battlefield as did each man in his family who went to war. In an ambush Lt. Dan loses his legs and is pulled to safety by Forrest only to become depressed and angry and bitter at being saved and not fulfilling his fate. He spends a bitter period after the army 'living off the government' and drinking. However when he fulfils a mock promise made to Forrest and becomes first mate of the sole shrimping boat in the Bubba Gump shrimp company he begins to put his life back together and the last time we see Dan he has a fiancée and two prosthetic legs which allow him to stand again.

In the film Lt. Dan and Forrest form an odd pair that only lasts due to Forrest's devotion to those he considers friends. Dan is initially extremely bitter regarding his disability and life after the military and contrasts Forrest's positivity with deep cynicism and depression.

We're giving a pretty damn obvious metaphor for Dan's emotional state when he literally 'weather's the storm' and then later finds serenity swimming around in a flat calm sea.

Dan's story is of redemption as he goes loses faith in life after his wounding but eventually, and with the help of the oblivious Forrest, eventually pulls himself together and (ahem) finds his sea legs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6c1HWWspGo